Reproductive health care for women

Muong La district has 16 communes and towns; many of which are in mountainous, remote and isolated areas with difficult transportation, infrastructure, medical equipment and human resources are not yet synchronized. To create conditions for pregnant women in these areas to access quality medical services, the District Health Center has implemented mobile reproductive health examination and consultation activities to proactively manage pregnancy and ensure safety for pregnant mothers.

Doctors at Muong La District Medical Center advise on reproductive health care for pregnant women.

At the end of April, we and the doctors of Muong La District Medical Center conducted an outpatient examination in Chieng Lao Commune. Although the road was far away, the team still brought along all the necessary medical equipment, such as ultrasound machines, blood pressure monitors, fetal heart monitors, etc. At the medical station, many mothers brought their children for vaccinations, and many pregnant women came early in the morning to wait for examination. The doctors and nurses divided into areas for examination, ultrasound screening, and consultation.

After being examined by doctors, Ms. Quàng Thị Tim, from Huội Tống village, shared: I have a 7-year-old boy. Previously, due to lack of experience and knowledge about reproductive health care and not knowing how to use nutritious foods during pregnancy, the baby grew slowly. Today, when I came for an examination, the doctors performed an ultrasound and gave me advice on how to ensure the development of the fetus and produce milk to feed my child in the future.

In early May, Muong La District Medical Center deployed 6 mobile examination teams in the communes of Nam Gion, Chieng Cong, Nam Pam, Ngoc Chien, Chieng An and Chieng Lao. Each team consisted of obstetricians, obstetric nursing graduates, laboratory technicians from the departments of infectious diseases - disease control - HIV/AIDS; population - communication, reproductive health care; medical examination - pharmaceutical testing. Doctors and nurses collected information, measured blood pressure, performed screening and ultrasound to detect abnormal risks for early intervention and treatment of diseases, metabolic and genetic disorders in the fetal and neonatal stages; reviewed tetanus vaccination; provided advice on reproductive health care and nutrition; encouraged pregnant mothers to have at least four prenatal check-ups during pregnancy and give birth at medical facilities to ensure the safety of mother and child. In addition, doctors and nurses also provide advice and guidance on screening tests and early detection of ovarian cancer and cervical cancer, provide guidance on the use of contraceptive methods, and provide free contraceptives.

Dr. Lo Van Soan, Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Control - HIV/AIDS, Muong La District Medical Center, said: Mobile medical examination and consultation activities are very necessary, because the majority of women, especially those in remote areas, do not have high awareness of reproductive health care. Moreover, lack of understanding of health insurance policies is also a barrier preventing many women from accessing care services.

Through the implementation of mobile reproductive health examination and consultation activities, up to now, 108 pregnant women in the communes have been examined, screened with ultrasound, and provided reproductive health care consultation by doctors and nurses of the District Health Center. Cases of detected obstetric and gynecological diseases are guided to higher-level hospitals for specialized tests and timely treatment.

Currently, Muong La District Medical Center continues to direct departments and offices to coordinate with commune and town health stations to carry out screening activities, combined with tetanus vaccination and prenatal ultrasound; from there, doctors and nurses will advise pregnant women on the time of birth, safe labor, prevent the risk of birth defects, unexplained stillbirth, minimize obstetric complications, reduce maternal and newborn mortality rates, and contribute to improving population quality.

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